Police have renewed an appeal for information about the whereabouts of a Black Uhlans bikie who the late Mark ‘Chopper’ Read claimed to have murdered near Casino in 2002.
Read claimed in a 60 Minutes interview before he died that he had killed the bikie leader, Sydney Michael Collins, and buried his body near a football field in the town.
Chopper Read died before the interview went to air.
Read claimed he shot Collins in a revenge attack for the former bikie boss dobbing him in to police for shooting him in the stomach in 1992.
Collins vanished in suspicious circumstances during a trip from his Gold Coast home to northern NSW to recover an underworld debt.
He was reported missing on September 1 by his son.
Mr Collins’ XR8 ute was found the next day more than 100 kilometres away near Tabulam.
Police believe Collins had left the farm at Tabulam on 25 August 2002.
He was last seen driving his black 2001 Falcon XR8 utility.
Police were also told he was running a business called Russian Angels and there were rumours he had a relationship with a woman who lived in Russia.
An inquest was held into the disappearance of Collins in 2010, with the coroner finding on the balance of probabilities that he was not dead but his current whereabouts could not be determined.
Police believe he may have left the country for an overseas destination.
Mark ‘Chopper’ Read was sentenced to eight years in Hobart’s Risdon Prison in 1992 for attempted murder after shooting Mr Collins, an associate, in the chest.
Anyone with information on Mr Collins’ whereabouts is urged to phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Chopper was a big mouth who was bashed in prison when he wanted to be the boss cocky. The only person he killed was himself. As an ex Taspol member, I knew him before and during my time in service, 1976 – 1993. He would have made a good politician. If his lips moved he was telling fibs.
Easy to say that now he is dead.
Don’t say anything bad about chopper!!! Bill
Copper read was a underworld hardened career criminal but I tell you what for one man a lot of people were scared of him. I do believe he murdered Syd Collins and from all my research I do believe it was a revenge attack for the Bikie boss Dobbing him in to police a criminal code that was broken.
He got some big balls! I have never got the chance to meet him but wish I did he was just a man who never took anyone’s crap he dished out a lot of punishment and also paid the price “the ultimate price of dying while in prison (rest in peace chopper)
Your “research”? You know nothing. Chopper did a break and enter into Syd’s friend’s house who was the head of the Black Uhlans and dropped a parking ticket which was identified as his girlfriend Margaret’s car. He heard they were after him and rocked up at his house where his son and sister-in-law were at the time and told Syd to go with him. Syd knew something was up, but looked at his son and sister-in-law and went with him anyway, only to be shot in his own driveway. Syd was bigger than Chopper and Mark Anthony put together and when Chopper put the gun to Syd’s head and it jammed, they had no choice, because everyone knows Chopper is a pussy without his gun. They’re the real prison stories floating around about him. Syd walked into the hospital himself and lifted his arm and said, “I’ve been shot.” Chopper said if Syd hadn’t gone with him, he would’ve shot his family too. Cool fact: The same doctor operated on Syd that he’d recently beat in a pilot’s exam.
Chopper was poor out of prison with no friends, desperately trying to attach himself to the bikie scene, following Syd around like a bad smell and Syd gave him hell for it. AND Syd never dobbed Chopper in, a family member did. The same family member that actually paid for the wedding dress and has the receipt. You’re a gullible, sick idiot mate!
You’re talking crap. Which it seems a lot of weak people do when someone has died.
Very cowardly of you
Personally knowing Syd as a young child, this story is what I was always told. 20 years later these stories are told to me by mates that are in and out of the system, we know the real truth. It’s undeniable.
Also, I’m laughing at the person talking about doing their research and then going on to talk about Chopper dying in prison, that was funny.
Mark was mentally unstable liar thst good spin a good yarn, that’s about it. I’ve spoken to his son in recent years, even he’ll tell you that his Dad wasn’t all there. This is the the only truth.
How did Chopper die in prison ?
He died in hospital. NOt a prison hospiotal either ,
in late September 2013 he was admitted to Melbourne Private Hospital in failing health. Read died of the illness on 9 October 2013, aged 58, in Parkville, Victoria at Royal Melbourne Hospital.
My uncle Mark Read was a very loving person when it came to his family I loved him very much. Also I do believe if you crossed him you would want to run quick because to Mark revenge was a dish best served cold. I believe he did kill Syd Collins because of him being a backstabbing big mouth rat and in his last interview he has buried him behind a mound of dirt 50 meters away from football field but it could be anywhere from casino to tabulan.
REST IN PIECE UNCLE MARK we miss you and love you still
Hey sweetheart, ( Tanya ) ..
You said it best ! Mark was a lovely guy, and i stand by every word you’ve said !! REST IN PEACE MARK ..
Loved and missed by so many xxx
How to shoot friends and influence people that’s exactly what chopper did through out his life an angel a saint or a sinner know matter who liked or disliked chopper and what ever was real or unreal
People will never forget the legacy like it or not